Veneers vs Crowns: Which Is Right for Your Tooth?
Medically reviewed by Dr Matthew Sng , Clinical Director
Discover the key differences between veneers and crowns to choose the right option for your smile and dental health.
Veneers and crowns can both improve how a tooth looks, but they're suited to different problems.
Veneer — a thin shell bonded to the front of a tooth. It's mainly cosmetic: it can change the colour or shape of a tooth, or close a small gap or chip. Only a small amount of enamel is removed, and it works on front teeth that are otherwise healthy.
Crown — a cap that covers the whole tooth. It's used when a tooth is heavily decayed, cracked, root-treated, or needs strength. A larger part of the tooth is reshaped to fit the cap, so a crown is restorative as well as cosmetic.
How to choose: veneers suit cosmetic changes to sound teeth; crowns suit teeth that are damaged or weakened and need full coverage. The dentist checks how much healthy tooth remains before recommending one.
